Seepage Prevention: Detecting Micro-Cracks and Fluid Infiltration with High-Speed CT
In any component designed to manage fluids—whether it is a car headlight, a coffee machine boiler, or a medical valve—water tightness is the ultimate performance metric. However, traditional pressure tests only tell you if a part leaks, not why or where it is failing.
Even worse, micro-cracks and structural stress points can remain “invisible” during initial testing, only to fail later in the field due to thermal expansion or mechanical stress. COREX provides the “X-ray vision” needed to find these defects before they turn into costly warranty claims.
The Challenge: Invisible Defects that Lead to Leaks
Plastic components often suffer from internal structural issues that are impossible to detect with the naked eye or surface scanners:
Micro-Cracks: Stress cracks formed during the cooling phase of injection molding or due to improper material flow.
Knit Lines (Weld Lines): Weak points where two flow fronts meet. If not properly fused, these lines act as “pre-cracked” paths for water infiltration.
Porosity Clusters: Small groups of air bubbles that create a “porous path” through a plastic wall, allowing fluid to travel from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side.
Insert Delamination: In over-molded parts (plastic-on-metal or plastic-on-plastic), air gaps at the interface can allow capillary action and water seepage.
COREX: Targeted Diagnostics for Fluid Tightness
While a pressure test provides a simple “Pass/Fail,” COREX provides a Full Diagnostic Map of the failure point.
Volumetric Crack Analysis: COREX identifies the exact path of a crack through the thickness of a plastic wall. You can see the internal geometry of the failure in 3D, allowing engineers to modify the mold or the process parameters.
Non-Destructive Leak Detection: Traditionally, to find an internal crack, you would have to cut the part (destructive testing), which often closes the micro-crack or creates new ones. COREX preserves the part, showing the defect in its original, pressurized, or assembled state.
Rapid Feedback (30-50 Seconds): Because COREX is high-speed and shop-floor ready, you can inspect parts during the line start-up to ensure that the cooling cycles and injection pressures are not creating latent stress cracks.
Protecting Brand Image and Reducing Recalls
Water infiltration is one of the leading causes of electrical failure in automotive and consumer electronics. By implementing COREX as a high-speed validation tool, manufacturers can:
Pinpoint the Root Cause: Distinguish between a material defect, a design flaw, or a process error.
Ensure 100% Reliability: Guarantee that critical seals and housings are structurally sound and “seepage-proof.”
Accelerate R&D: Test new materials or geometries and immediately see how they react to structural stress.
| Feature | Pressure/Bubble Leak Test | Traditional Lab CT | COREX High-Speed CT |
| Result Type | Pass/Fail Only | Detailed 3D Data | Detailed 3D Data |
| Defect Localization | Difficult / General Area | Precise | Precise & Instant |
| Time to Result | 1–5 minutes | 30–60 minutes | 30–50 seconds |
| Root Cause Analysis | No | Yes | Yes (Directly in Shop) |
| Internal Crack Path | Invisible | Visible | Visible & Traceable |
